Rebellion - A New Beginning - A New Bond
by StarWarsFollower
Summary: Kanan is back, The crew of the Ghost is on their way to Safe Zone. So what happens next? What will happen between Sabine and Ezra when Ezra has to juggle training to become a Jedi and maintaining his "friendship" with Sabine? The world is about to get a whole lot more complicated...


**This is the start of my first ever written piece, I've got a long future planned that needed a decent amount of set up.**

 **So Chapter 1 is Long, And it doesn't get interesting until about 1/2 way through, so bear that in mind when Ezra is still talking about current events that the real story is just a few lines more ;)**

 **As per usual, review etc, give me some feedback! :)**

- **  
The Bond  
** -  
Chapter 1  
-

…

Fulcrum IS Ahsoka

 _Fulcrum is a code name you idiot, stop calling her Fulcrum. Its Ahsoka._

 _I can already tell I'm going to have problems with that…  
_

…

Sitting here in my "bed".

Collecting my thoughts is a nice way to start the day.

Better than being zapped by Chopper...

He can be fun but I swear I'm going to scrap him or at the very least remove a memory chip or two if he electrocutes me anymore!

It's not usual for me that I'm so calm and collected.  
 _  
Well, before I started thinking about Chopper zapping me.._

All things considered of course, I'd say I'm doing pretty well.

Kanan got captured.

My Master and Friend. Taken.

But we got him back.

We beat the Inquisitor.

Destroyed Tarkins Star Destroyer.

…

Well.. Kanan beat the Inquisitor.

And Kanan destroyed Tarkins Star Destroyer.

And we didn't even save ourselves, it took a small fleet to do that.  
 _  
Led by an ex-Jedi no less..._

…

I guess I just got really lucky, I should have ended up at the bottom of that reactor shaft.

I think I did alright though?

Got 3 saber locks in with the Inquisitor.

He even said it was a "challenge" so I guess we must have been doing pretty well.

I haven't spoken much to anyone over the past few days.

…

Zeb's sleeping out by the holo board.

I've definitely heard him say Karabast a few times when Chopper zapps him in the night.

I.. well I took the turret.

Not exactly by choice but I wasn't exactly going to complain when the ex-Jedi who saved our ass asks for a private room…  
 _  
The Turret isn't the most comfortable, My makeshift bed is, but the turret itself is a nightmare…_

 _The view is spectacular though..._

I let out a long sigh.

It's not like me to be up early like this.

The world has suddenly changed.  
 _  
For better or worse will be something I'll decide later…._

The world has become a whole lot, well… bigger.

more. complicated...

We are not on our own anymore!

There are other cells, other factions all against the Empire

Like we are.

Well, not at the time being. Right now we are bumbling our way through Hyperspace.

Along with a considerable amount of other "Cells" in their ships. After the impromptu 'Rescue' at Mustafar.

 _Some of them are even from some species I've never seen before…_

Which is saying something considering I've picked the pockets of half the market back on Lothal...

Turns out my message. Actually got through.

Tarkin destroyed his own communication spire to stop it.

Didn't work though,

Talk about a silver lining to the whole thing...

The other cells relayed it across the outer and mid rim and started riots on at least 4 worlds.

Before the Empire had time to react of course, They are Bucketheads, but they do have a few tricks up their sleeve.

The Empires signal jamming caught up just in time to stop any game changing planets from hearing the message.

And the retribution for the message was swift and brutal.

Not even joking, This was all Tarkin. As if he had swished his signature on the end of the suffering and beatings as his "work of art".

Lothal blockaded.

The Mustafar System under quarantine.

Inter system transport throughout the mid-rim locked down indefinitely.

Haha! _As if light cruiser blockades could stop the Ghost..._

And to top it all off public beatings of "Rebel Sympathizers", Who so far just happen to have been people in the wrong place. At the wrong time.

But I guess we will have to take our victories however they come. Even if the pinch of salt is unbearable.

I can't go home, Infact I'm not sure if I will ever be able to go home.

Not that I had a "Home" back on Lothal, My place is on the Ghost.

In a way it always has been.

I feel at home,

even with my parents I never felt like this.

They argued a lot, mostly about transmission frequencies and what to do with me every time they broadcasted against the Empire.

But now I belong. Not necessarily on the Ghost. But with my family. 

Huh? 

Something stirred in the Ghosts environmental systems, Must be getting to that hour then...

My backpack is strewn about across the floor, Why do I always forget to clean my mess up…

A Holopad, My Saber, A collection of random things that I didn't even remember I had.

And a wrist comm...

Speaking of communications,  
Not a word from Lothal, not even anything from Vizago, and that was unusual since he usually had something sleazy for us to do. Not that we would stoop as low to take work from Vizago ever again. Not since we now have an abundant amount of bucketheads to fight.

 _But it was still unusual for him not to try._

Something was wrong, The Empire had never reacted like this before.

Atleast not for as long as I can remember.

 _Which funnily enough isn't very long, only recently did I start to care about what the Empire did outside of Lothals capitol and the Market that I frequented. Not for the vendors, but for the their "Clientele" per say._

Their pockets were deeper than most, I'll leave it at that.

But Lothal.

Maybe it's because of what we did at Mustafar?

That was Tarkins personal star destroyer after all….

 _Awh did it hold some "sentimental" value Grand Moff?_

Well as much sentiment as someone like him could have.

Kanan told me all about him.

What he did, what he planned to do.

Everytime I think about him I feel…

Cold.

As if something close by, out of the bigger picture.

Is just wrong, not even slightly out of place.

But by the laws of nature and my understanding of the Force.

Wrong.

Kanan could barely speak about him.

He told me why, not because he was "traumatized" but because the Force wasn't exactly calm when he was with Tarkin and the Inquisitor.

Just talking about the experience brings back the feeling according to Kanan.

I got a taste of it at Fort Anaxes.

I even blacked out. Not something I'd enjoy repeating. So I'll have the respect not to bring it up with him even though it piqued my interest.

…

…

Well it would seem my nice lie in is about to be rudely disrupted.

Not that I can hear anyone coming through a pressurized blast door.  
 _  
The Ghost is tougher and more modified than she looks..._  
 _Hera saw to that before I joined.  
_  
I can feel people awake. Well maybe not awake. But stirring from whatever they call sleep.

The Force is… Tugging me, like nudging me with its elbow telling me to be aware.

I lean back into the bed and pick up my Saber.

Kanan sure did well with it.

Better than I've ever done, He "mixed things up a little" switching between shooting and slashing almost on the fly.

How come I never thought of that!?

Honestly I'll have to be spoon fed "Jedi" things until I get a hang of it...

…

The force gave me another push. Gentle. But definitely a push, Someone must be awake.

 _Stirring at least.  
_  
I can see these "feelings" being useful, but until I learn to control it and understand it like Kanan can it's just a glorified motion detector.

 _Well, a motion detector that allows you to levitate objects. Perhaps not a motion detector?_

…

I can hear the Ghosts internal systems starting to whirr.

It's a slow hum, but the Ghost is definitely preparing itself for the next day.

A little air recirculation here, some power to the freshers there. And the telltale whine of Choppers recharging socket 'juicing' him up for the next day.

He draws power from the ship, no wonder his electrical 'friendship' hurt so much...

…

…

I know I should get up. But do I really have to?

I had been staying in a makeshift room in the turret since Ahsoka came on board.

We are heading towards "Safe Zone" wherever that is. But apparently we won't be staying there long.

Ahsoka made that QUITE clear when I asked her last night.

 _I didn't realize questions about Safe Zone were apparently not welcome..._

I turn my saber over in my hands again. It's cold to the touch.

The grooves, the individual components.

All coming together to form something so complex, yet.

Elegant.

Its familiar, special even.

 _Well of course it's special you Gundark. It's a Lightsaber._

 _Honestly.  
_

…

I've barely seen Sabine since we met Ahsoka.

She kept to her room. Not a clue why.

Everyone is being social and Sabine practically removed herself from the rest of the world.

Well that is not true.

That isn't even part of the truth. Not that I can wrap my head around the real truth!

She removed herself from MY world!

Just me apparently.

She hasn't been overly social with everyone on the ship but particularly with me.  
Nothing.

 _She has been having talks with Hera at night.  
_  
Not that I have seen or heard them,

But I can feel them debating something,

I can feel it "ripple" through the Force.

I take a quick look away from the shimmering of Hyperspace and look around my room.

BLAST...

My "room" is a mess and I'm getting a gentle but definite feeling through the force that I'm about to be rudely interrupted.

I lean over, dropping my saber into my backpack. Kanan would be angry that it left my side but we're only on the Ghost and I can get it back out once I get dressed and tidy this mess up.

A few shirts here, a power converter there.

Well that didn't take me long at all! Definitely looked a lot worse before...

Turns out the only out of place things were the collective contents of my backpack.

My life really, everything I have from Lothal was cluttered around the room.

If I were to go missing or worse then this is all there would be to remember me or even know I existed.

 _I'm not registered anywhere, the only people in the whole Galaxy that would even notice that I'm gone are either on this very ship or are Bucketheads._

…

Whoah.

I whirl around just in time to see who has violated my space.

"Hi." Sabine said as she edged into the room, The Ghosts door making the barely audible whoosh as it moved to one side.  
 _  
I should have been able to sense that… Ezra.. "Be Aware of your surroundings" as Kanan would say. Not that I'm strong with the force in the mornings. I'm hardly a morning person y'know..._

But Really, is that the best you could come up with after not speaking to me for 3 days straight!

A meagre "Hi". Why do I bother...

 _Honestly this girl, well. She is Older than me though…  
Not by much, maybe a year?  
All I know is I'm 16 going on 17 and she is maybe 17 going on 18?  
Too confusing, back to the conversation Ezra..._

Dammit, Time to answer otherwise I'll stand here looking like a fool.

"Hi." I say quietly.

 _SERIOUSLY EZRA? Honestly. You hypocrite._

And you call yourself a Jedi?!

An awkward silence starts to fill the air as Sabine pokes her head through the doorway.

"So... how have you been? Y'know, since we rescued Kanan?" Sabine said, almost 'meekly', as if she felt guilt for ignoring me?  
 _  
Don't overthink this Ezra..._

Ah Karabast.

That was a question.

"Fine I guess, There's not exactly been much action around lately though" I say, matter of factly.

"Yeah I know what you mean" Sabine said letting out a small yet noticeable sigh.

"I've been bored out of my mind. Mind if I come in?" she continued.

"Come on in, welcome to my not so humble abode." I joke, moving away from the door.

I wish I could pull that line off but Sabines snort in the background tells me I failed miserably...

The door closes behind with a quiet "Whoosh" as Sabine proceeded to take a seat in the middle of my bed.

"Comfortable?" I say, almost rhetorically.

"huh?" Sabine must be confused..

"There is a seat with a perfect view by the turret console, why choose my bed?" I say, cocking my head to one side and crossing my arms in a joking 'judgemental' stance..

"Just wanted to see where you had been sleeping all this time Ezra, You did have to leave your bunk and all" She said, pulling her backpack towards herself and digging around inside.

Fair enough, that doesn't mean you have to sit in it.

 _She could see it from the door..._

"Fair enough" I reply, rolling my eyes..

"Well Ezra how am I supposed to know if it's a good bed?" Sabine said authoritatively, but with a slight twinge of sarcasm..

Sabine let herself fall down into the covers and get almost engulfed by the softness of the makeshift Bed.

"Actually Ezra, if I'd known you had such a comfortable bed then I'd been curled up next to you last night rather than sitting in my own bed" She finished. Bluntly. Returning to her Backpack.

…

 _Oh no…  
_

…  
 _  
She didn't mean it like that. But the damage is already done…_

I can feel myself turn a bright shade of red and Sabine slowly looked up at me.

She started to crack a big 'I know what you're thinking' smile across her face, along with a smirk that pretty much announced that she was going to make me suffer for thinking it. 

"So Ezra... what are you thinking?" Sabine teased me, with a bit of satisfaction too.

Don't say anything Ezra.

Wait!

Say something, anything, change the damn subject! _  
_  
"I haven't seen you in a while" I say, dodging the subject.

That might have been the wrong thing to change to Ezra...

Sabine sunk further into the bed sheets letting out a stifled, but still noticeable yawn.

 _oh no…  
_

"Look Ezra I'm Sorry" Sabine said quietly.

Oh.

Wait, What?

"I've been a bit reclusive recently huh?" Sabine said quietly.

"Yeah, I guess you have" I say, turning to the window..

"Any idea why?" I ask, taking a quick glance out of the window letting myself get lost in the mesmerising patterns of Hyperspace.

"I have no idea Ezra." Sabine said with an almost regretful and disappointed tone.  
"If I did I'd tell you" She finished, this time sounding almost like an accusation than an answer.

Oh…

Well that doesn't help.

"What do you think about Safe Zone then?" I say, quickly and tactfully changing the subject, Still staring out of the window into the swirl of colours.

 _We're going there anyway, Our opinions are pretty much irrelevant…_

"I have no idea what to expect, But from what I managed to hear from Ahsoka and Hera talking in the cockpit.."

Whoah.

"Wait what, How did you know what they were saying in the cockpit?" I ask, not as an accusation but more with Interest to the methods used.

Sabine looked at me with a small smile beginning to creep onto her face,

She moved to one side of the bed and silently beckoned for me to sit down.

I slowly edge over to the bed and sit down, not far from Sabine, but not too close either.

"Honestly Ezra you don't need to keep regulation distance…" Sabine said with a cute laugh tacked on the end.

Sabine pulled her Holopad up and skimming through the options.

"HEY! I just don't want you to go getting the wrong idea…" I counter, looking down at what Sabine was tapping information into.

"Always getting too excited" Sabine whispered as she brought something up on her Holopad.

 _I better not react badly to that one, She is definitely in the wrong but calling out a Mandalorian within arms length is a bad idea by anyone's standards._

"Here, notice anything Ezra?" Sabine said, Beaming as she passed me her Holopad.

"Yeah this is a live feed from the cockpit…"  
"How did you get this Sabine?" I finish, inspecting the footage emerging from the Holopad.

"Well before you joined the crew Hera asked me to install a security system on the ghost" Sabine started, but then stopped with a confused look on her face.

 _Oh it's me, I must look confused…_

 _Not my fault, The Ghost hardly needs security cameras..._

"Oh, not that she was expecting a heist or anything crazy, but I guess just for good measure?"

 _I have a feeling the security measure might have been more for the occupants of the Ghost than a protection measure against an exterior threat….  
_

"So I take it you created a backdoor in the software that you can access with your Holopad?"

…

Sabine sat staring at me, eyes wider than I've seen them in a long time...

"Y.. Yeah.. How did you know that though?" Sabine said, almost stammering, surprised at my not so lack of education.

"Well I wasn't proud of it" I start, but stop to catch my breath..

"But I used to slice my way into some vendor systems at Lothals markets." I continued.

"They would keep food and parts in reserve for the next day, It wasn't easy but over time I learn't a few tricks of my own, I didn't want to do it because they hardly had more than I had."

"But I had to eat." I finish, looking up to see Sabine's face.

 _She looks sad.._

Sabine must have realized how she looked because no sooner had our eyes met she was placing the Holopad back in her bag and continuing the conversation.

"Well since you seem to know so much about slicing you can help me out on the Ghost."

"I'll warn you though, Chopper enjoys overloading the conduits when we work on them so expect to be shocked a few times"

I let out a long and deserved groan.

"I shouldn't have said a word." I say with a hint of regret.

"Haha of course not Ezra!" Sabine said playfully, punching me in the arm for good measure.

…

 _She could do some serious damage punching me,_

 _but she never goes too far._

…

More than a few moments pass and I decide to get back to the subject, before this silence becomes awkward…

"So what about Safe Zone?" I ask, pulling my lightsaber too me and clipping it to my belt.

"What?" Sabine replied, looking both confused and almost angry that I had interrupted the silence.  
 _  
Evidently she forgot what we were talking about_

 _I've noticed Sabine tends to forget about the present when we both talk about our past._

"What you learned from the cockpit feed Sabine, the one we were talking about not even a minute ago, did you forget?" I say laughing lightly as I finish.

 _Uh oh._

May have been a bad idea.

Very Bad Idea.

Sabine is glaring at me.

"What I learn't Ezra…"

Stressing my name...

Sabine continued "was that Safe Zone isn't a location on the ground, it's an old Clone Wars frigate in dead space"

"What do you mean by Deadspace?" I inquire.

She smiled, thats good, She doesn't seem angry at me! Maybe she was joking, so confusing…

"Oh, imagine the area of active space being the immediate vicinity of planets, hyperspace lanes and stations" Sabine started, then finished waiting for me to acknowledge apparently.

"Yep" I say quickly,

No sooner had I acknowledged what apparently seemed like common information to her, Sabine was continuing at breakneck speed,

"Well Deadspace is the area beyond that. In between systems where there isn't anything for lightyears. Far away from Imperial Scanners and the perfect place to hide a small fleet." Sabine finally finished.

"Guess it must be pretty safe then huh" I joke rolling my eyes.

"Seriously Ezra? Sabine turned to me with one eyebrow raised above the other..

"Oh Ha. Ha. Comedic marvel you are…" Sabine lightly punches me in the arm..

"Hey!" I exclaim loudly.

 _Better keep it down actually, I have no idea if Hera, or Kanan, are up yet..._

Whoah

What just happened.

Is Sabine hugging me?

Yep.

Sabine is hugging me.

 _I could definitely get used to this_

I look down to see Sabine pull away from me with a small smile on her face.

"I'm glad you came back in one piece" She said quietly, her eyes looking straight into my own.

"Well I could have some back in two pieces for comedic effect if you so please, I am a Comedic Marvel after all…" I joke lightly.

...

 _That didn't go down well_

Sabine narrowed her stare and put her Holopad back into her bag, Returning to her arms crossed stance.

"Tell me, how did it go against the Inquisitor?"

Oh here we go…

"I guess it went well" I say, slightly unsure about myself.

"Define well?" Sabine said, almost like an accusation...

"I got a few saber locks in, the Inquisitor was getting pretty overwhelmed at the time" I say, a few details missing, but I can't exactly give her a full battle report.

"That is pretty good I guess" Sabine said quietly. Leaning in to me and closing the distance.

"I suppose, it ended well!" I say, hopping up from the bed. it was getting a little awkward.

 _Not that I'm opposed to being next to Sabine, just that she has a tendency to turn my awkwardness into her humour…  
_

I can barely see Sabine, Hyperspace can slightly illuminate the turret but it's nothing compared to the Ghosts lighting...

I reach over and flick the turret lights on, the room slowly dimms into view and a much more noticeable Sabine is sitting on the bed with her arms still crossed around her chest.

 _No armour.  
_

I sit back down and turn to face Sabine.

"Ezra what...?" Sabine says, sharpening her eyes at mine.

Did I do something wrong?

"What?" I reply bluntly, without thinking.

"What is that on your face?" Sabine said shakily, was her voice shaking?

Before I can answer Sabine has jumped up and is holding my face in her hands.  
 _  
I had no idea her hands were so soft…_

When did this happen?"

"Uhmm… I guess.." I start slowly but am immediately cut off.

"Dammit tell me Ezra!" Sabine exploded, throwing her open palm into my chest, pushing me back just a little bit.

 _It doesn't hurt, but it's Sabine's way of telling me she isn't happy._

"When I was fighting the Inquisitor" I saw matter of factly.

It's gone quiet again.

…

"How?" Sabine said simply.

"After a few blocks with the Inquisitor he threw his saber at me, it caught me off guard and knocked me off the Reactor platform." I say, again unsure of the end of this conversation.

"So it didn't 'Go Well' then did it?" She said glaring at me.

Oh here we go…

"Well I landed on another platform!" I say voice rising...

Sabine rolled her eyes and looked away quickly…

Seriously? At least face me when you accuse me of failing even though I succeeded.

" I got Kanan back didn't I?" I say rather loudly.

Jeesh what more could anyone ask for?!

"Ezra you have to be better than that" Sabine said looking through the turret window, not turning to face me.

"Oh now you're sounding like Kanan! Constantly pressuring me and finding fault with even the success that I have. Honestly." I state loudly and bluntly.

…

 _Constantly…_

…

"Still Ezra you…"

No.

"Seriously Sabine!?"

Silence.

Right, well if you have nothing to add I'll take the initiative…

"Is Kanan who you want to sound like, My Master wouldn't be around if I hadn't succeeded! but since this is the path you've chosen will you find fault with me rescuing him!?" I shout, whilst crossing my arms and glaring into the back of her head...

…

Sabine still has her head turned to face the window…

…

She won't even look at me…

…

"Want to find fault with anything else I've done today, Yknow my lightsaber isn't on my belt Sabine, its in my backpack!" I shout pointing to my pack in the corner. "Kanan would find fault with that!" I finish, almost out of breath.

 _I…_

 _I, I think..._

…

 _I think I have gone too far.  
_

…

…

No, no no…

I probe out with the force, I'm not great at feeling emotions. But the room is practically engulfed in… hurt..

…

 _It's from Sabine..._

…

 _I definitely went way too far…  
_

…

I need to apologise.

"I'm" I try before being cut off by Sabine.

…

"I don't care who I sound like Ezra"

 _Sabine said Quietly…_

Sabine turned around slowly to reveal tears.

Oh god, I've gone way too far...

"I don't care if I sound like Kanan" she said.. her voice trembling.

…

…

"All I care about Ezra"

…

"Is that you come back alive"

…

With that Sabine stood up and stormed out of the turret.

I quickly stand to follow her.

"Sabine Wait!", "Sabine…" The sound of the turret door sealing confirms that it's too late…

I could follow her out, but everyone on the Ghost would know then.

"Dammit Ezra!" I shout loudly. Luckily the door is pressurized so whilst people would have heard it, it's not loud enough for them to notice anything is wrong.

I throw my Holopad on the bed and slump into the covers…

I am raging. Not at Sabine. At Myself…

How am I supposed to be optimistic about today now…

Safe Zone should be fun with both of us this angry…

I could use a technique Kanan taught me,

Releasing your tension and stress into the Force…

I open myself up and release my stress into the Force and slowly feel.. relieved…

Wait.

I can sense someone outside the door.

…

Is that Sabine?

…

No sooner had I sensed the mystery figure they had moved further into the bowels of the ship.

Ezra…

You really messed that up.

I wonder if Sabine has gone to speak to Hera about it.

Dammit I've messed things up snapping like that...

 _Well she is the one that started it._

I probe out with the force to get a familiar feeling just outside the door.

The Door opens to reveal an almost blinding interior light.

"Sabine?" I call out, hoping for a response.

 _I need to fix this._

"Why would I be Sabine?" a very familiar voice proclaimed whilst leaning on the frame of the bulkhead.

Who, Oh.

It's Kanan.

"We're arriving at Safe Zone. Grab your things and meet me and the others in the Cockpit." Kanan said. Simply.

Without any chit chat Kanan had moved out of the doorway

"And Ezra. I understand if you don't want to talk later, but I'm here if you need me"

And with that the Bulkhead automatically sealed.

…

Its pretty obvious Kanan felt our argument through the force.  
 _  
Nobody could have missed that..._

He's been reminding me that he can get a reading on situations from across the ship.

 _Its how he knew I was contemplating leaving the Ghost back in the early days..._

Dammit Ezra…

You need to fix this.

I take a glance at my backpack and pull the lightsaber out, watching it slowly glide towards me.

I clip it onto my belt and reach for the door controls next to the bulkhead.

I do need to fix this.

But first.

Safe Zone.

/ End of Chapter 1 _  
_


End file.
